Cowboys are tackling accountability

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS

cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

IRVING — Nose tackle Jay Ratliff was upset at halftime. The Dallas Cowboys led 10-6, but Ratliff was upset by the 70 rushing yards the Philadelphia Eagles had.

"My fault on the running game," Ratliff told coach Wade Phillips in the visiting locker room.

After Phillips excused Ratliff of blame, Ratliff said, "It’s MY fault! I’ll get it corrected."

"I said, 'OK, it’s your fault,’" Phillips said.

The Eagles had only 19 rushing yards in the second half.

Accountability has been a buzz word in the locker room this year, and every Cowboys defender has stepped up and shared responsibility.

"That’s what you preach all the time," Phillips said Monday. "I think it’s universal coaching-wise, especially in our league, and at this time accountability is important. I think everybody talks about it, but doing it is another thing."

In the first four games, the Cowboys’ defense ranked 26th in total defense (371.3 yards per game), including 29th in pass defense (256.3 passing yards per game). They allowed 13 passing plays of 20 yards or more. They had only six sacks and had forced only four turnovers, with the team having a minus-two turnover ratio. Defensively, the Cowboys allowed 17.8 points per game in their 2-2 start.

Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said the defense came together at the bottom of the dog pile in Kansas City following the team’s 26-20 overtime victory.

"I thought everybody thought we were supposed to beat the brakes off Kansas City," James said Monday. "We lost the coin toss in overtime, and then guys just stepped up to the plate in overtime to get three-and-out and get the ball back to our offense."

In the past three games, all victories, the Cowboys allowed an average of 18 points and 301 yards. They allowed only eight passing plays of 20 yards or more. They had 11 sacks and forced 11 turnovers. They now rank 20th in total defense and for the season they are at zero in turnover ratio.

"I just think guys are really understanding and accepting their roles, and everybody is just really playing well together," James said. "We aren’t really relying on one or two guys to make plays, but players are making plays in every situation. Each player is making plays all over the field. I think that is what is allowing the defense to keep teams kind of at bay."

The Cowboys entered the season with five new defensive starters. That included at right cornerback, where second-year players Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins were co-starters. It took the defense awhile to crystallize.

"Five new starters, I think it’s part of it," Phillips said. "Getting a feel for what they do, and for them getting a feel for each other. Identifying that Jenkins was going to play corner and letting him play. ... I think they’re just playing together now."

The Cowboys got a complete defensive performance in Philadelphia against an Eagles offense that had put the BIG in big play. They had 28 plays of 20 yards or more before Sunday.

The Cowboys, though, limited the Eagles to 297 yards, with big plays of 45, 23, 20 and 20.

They sacked Donovan McNabb four times and picked him off twice. They stopped a fourth-and-inches quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter.

"It’s taking out what the other team does best, and knowing who their best players are and trying to make them beat you with somebody else," Phillips said. "I think the defense is doing well there."

Michael Turner, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin found the going rough against the Cowboys. The Cowboys will try to keep it going this week against Donald Driver, Ryan Grant and the Green Bay Packers.

"With the characters we have on this team, guys are really just playing for one another, understanding the goals we have, sticking by each other’s side," James said.

Charean Williams, 817-390-7760

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